Duke  University  Libraries 

Report  of  the  S 
Conf  Pam  12mo  #252 


DTTD7TEflTA 


REPORT 


OF   THE 


SPECIAL    COMMITTEE 


ON  THE 


Louisiana  Itnitnt-tiarj, 


APPOINTED  TO 


EXAMINE  THE  BOOKS,  ACCOUNTS  AND  VOUCHERS,  AND  ALL 
MATTERS  CONNECTED  THEREWITH, 


TO  THE 


LEGISLATURE  OF  THE  STATE  OF  LOUISIANA, 


BATON  ROUGE: 

J.    M.    TAYLOR,    STATE    PRINTER. 
1861. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2011  with  funding  from 
Duke  University  Libraries 


http://www.archive.org/details/reportofspecialc01loui 


REPORT 


The  Special  Committee  appointed  to  examine  the  affairs  of  the  Louisiana 
Penitentiary,  beg  leave  to  report : 

That  they  have,  with  more  than  ordinary  care  and  labor,  examined  the 
accounts  and  vouchers  of  the  Lessees  of  the  Penitentiary,  embracing  the 
term  of  their  administration,  from  the  commencement  of  their  lease,  on  the 
1st  April,  1857,  to  the  31st  of  December,  18G0,  and  have  found  the  same 
entirely  correct  and  satisfactory.  We  find  that  the  Lessees  have  charged 
to  their  expense  account,  the  discount  on  such  sums  of  money  as  they  have 
from  time  to  time  been  required, to  obtain  to  carry  on  their  business,  but 
have  permitted  their  profits  to  accumulate  and  remain  entirely  untouched. 

Your  Committee  also  find,  that  the  Lessees  have  made  certain  necessary 
improvements,  and  added  cotton  and  woollen  machinery  to  the  Factory, 
which,  although  not  authorized  by  law,  your  Committee  are  of  the  opinion 
that  the  charges  made  should  be  allowed  and  approved  by  the  State,  as 
these  improvements  and  additions,  as  well  as  the  borrowing  of  money,  were 
absolutely  necessary  to  carry  on  the  business  with  whatever  of  success  has 
attended  their  operations. 

During  the  existence  of  the  lease,  the  Lessees  have  paid  in  cash,  for  the 
cotton  and  woollen  machinery  purchased  by  them,  and  for  buildings  and 
improvements  erected,  the  sum  of  $87,252  10.  Up  to  the  31st  of  Decem- 
ber, 1860,  they  have  placed  to  the  credit  of  machinery,  for  the  State's 
share  of  profit  resulting  from  their  management,  $45,776  83,  which  leaves 
a  balance  due  by  the  State  to  the  Lessees,  of  $41,475  27,  represented  by 
the  machinery,  buildings,  and  improvements  paid  for  and  erected  by  the 
Lessees. 

Your  Committee  visited  the  Penitentiary,  and  after  having  thoroughly 
examined  the  same  in  all  its  arrangements,  arc  fully  satisfied  that,  for 
humane  treatment,  morally  and  physically,  of  its  inmates,  for  admirable  dis- 
cipline, and  internal  management  generally,  it  Avould  be  impossible  to  bring 
it  to  a  greater  degree  of  perfection.  The  Lessees  have  evidenced  by  their 
management,  that  they  consider  and  have  a  proper  regard  for  the  comfort 


'  4 

and  well-being  of  the  unfortunate  people  committed  to  their  charge ;  and 
for  the  success  that  has  attended  their  efforts  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of 
the  prisoners,  and  to  promote  the  objects,  and  carry  out  the  purpose  for 
which  institutions  of  this  kind  are  established,  it  is  but  just  that  your  Com- 
mittee should  thus  speak  of  their  administration,  and  accord  to  them,  in  this 
manner,  their  approbation. 

Your  Committee,  acting  in  joint  conference  with  the  Committee  on  the 
part  of  the  Senate,  have  united  in  presenting  a  bill  in  reference  to  the 
future  administration  of.  the  Penitentiary,  and  having  for  its  objects  a  full 
settlement  with  the  Lessees  of  the  amount  due  them  by  the  State,  without 
any  disbursement  from  the  Treasury,  which  they  believe  to  be  just  and 
equitable,  alike  to  the  Lessees  and  to  the  interest  of  the  State,  and  recom- 
mend its  passage. 

WILLIAM  J,.  KNOX, 
Chairman  of  the  Committee. 


peanulife* 

PH  8.5 


